Egypt's Administrative Court on Tuesday upheld an earlier ruling nullifying an agreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia that placed the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir within Saudi waters.
According to the border demarcation agreement signed in April, the two islands were deemed to be within Saudi territorial waters, in recognition of historical claims on the part of Saudi Arabia.
Tuesday's ruling turned down government appeal against the verdict of June, which reached the same conclusion. The Administrative Court nullified this on the basis that there was insufficient evidence for the Saudi claims.
The court rejected the government case and fined its attorneys at the State Lawsuits Authority (SLA), a sum of LE800.
However, today's ruling and that of June are not final yet, as the Supreme Administrative Court is still overseeing a case on the agreement.
The agreement provoked extensive criticism against the government in April, with people taking to the streets in protest against the decision, which was then followed by a security crackdown.
In a speech, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on the Egyptian people not to talk about the matter anymore.
The initial lawsuit aiming to have the agreement revoked was filed by lawyer and former presidential hopeful Khaled Ali, with support from other lawyers and MPs.
